Blast-furnace charging apparatus



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

. F. G. ROBERTS. BLAST FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

N0. 519,09 Patented Mayl, 1894.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' F. G. ROBERTS.

BLAST FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

No. 519,094., Patented y 1,1894.

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UNITED STATES FRANK c. ROBERTS, on PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BLAST-FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 519,094, dated May 1, 1894.

Application filed October 18, 1893. Serial No. 488,539. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK O. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Blast-Furnace Charging Apparatus, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full and clear specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the method of delivering the necessary ma terials into the hopper located in the top of a blast furnace whereby the labor and consequent expense involved is much reduced.

A very common method of filling or charging a blast furnace consists in hoisting to the elevation of the top of the furnace the cars or barrows, containing the materials to be charged, by means of an inclined plane or vertical elevator. The cars or barrows are then wheeled to the hopper, their contents dumped into the hopper,-and the cars or barrows returned to the head of the elevator; all of which is performed by manual labor.

The foregoing described operation involves considerable labor expense, and the object of my invention is to substitute an automatic device for much of'the labor now generally employed at the furnace top, and thus efiect a reduction in expense. object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure Us a vertical section through the upper part of a blast furnace, the elevator and the bridge connecting the furnace and elevator. Fig. 2is a plan showing the same parts. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the upper part of the furnace taken normal to the section shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5, an elevator car or cage; Fig. (-3, guides to the sides of the elevator; Fig. 7, an incline plane car or cage; Figs. 8 and 9, cars for conveying material to the top of a furnace; Fig. 8', latches or trips for lever 17.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

It is well known that in order'to properly and efficiently charge'or fill a blast furnace it is essential that the materials when dumped into the hopper at the top of. the furnace shall I attain this be distributed around the said hopper in as regular and uniform a manner as possible. Therefore, it is necessary in order to meet the requirements of a serviceable blast furnace charging apparatus, that the following conditions be satisfied :-First. That the manual labor involved in the process of transferring the cars or barrows from the top of the elevator to the furnace hopper, dumping the materials into the hopper; and returning the empty cars or barrows to the elevator, shall be reduced to a minimum. Second. That the cars or barrows containing the materials to be charged into the furnace shall be so made that when their contents are dumped into the hopper, the materials shall be distributed around the hopper in a fairly uniform'manner. In the following description these two conditions are treated consecutively.

First. Referring to the rawings, A is the upper part of a blast f rnace; B the upper part of an elevator (inthis instance a vertical hoist); O is t he bridge connecting the top'of the elevator with the top of the furnace; D is the furnace hopper intowhich the materials are dumped; E is the bell which closes the hopper, said bell being supported, in this instance, (see Fig. 3) by the rods, levers, &c.,

indicated; F is a track leading from the hoist B to and over the hopper D, said track being laid with a descending grade from the hoist; G is a wheel capable of movement toward the furnace, and around which wheel a rope or chain H passes, the latter being made fast at a point I and having a free end attached toa bar J extending across the track f; K is a guide wheel over which the rope or chain L passes, which rope is attached to wheel G at one end and to a rod S at the other end; the plate or washer N is attached to the rod S at its lower extremity; M M M are weights of the same or various sizes supported at different elevations and through which, in a suitable manner, the rod S passes; 0 represents the cars containing the materials to be charged into the furnace; P the platform of the elevator cage; R jaws or projections attached to the cars 0 in such position as to engage with the bar J as the car advances toward the furnace. The operation of thisarrangement is as follows: A car 0 loaded with materials is raised on platform P by elevator B to the head of the elevator; here the car 0 is started toward the furnace by man power or by automatically tilting the platform P, the device for which will be described later. The car 0 passing on to the track F descends toward the furnace by gravity; in so doing the jaws R engage with the cross bar J and the car and cross bar move together toward the furnace. The movement of the bar J causes the wheel G to move in the same direction through the medium of the rope H fixed at apoint I; the movement of the wheel G raises the plate N attached to the rod S which is in turn attached to the rope L. The upward movement of the plate N lifts successively the weights M from their supports, and hence throws the combined weight of the weights M on the plate N and through the rod S, the rope L to the wheel G which in turn acts upon the car 0 through bar J and jaws R. The result of these operations is that as the momentum of the loaded car increases in its movement toward the furnace the weights M M are lifted successively until the car becomes central over the hopper; at this point the contents of the car are immediately discharged automatically in a manner to be described hereinafter. The discharge of the car and the consequent release of a large part of the weight opposed to the weights M M throws the latter into control, and as a consequence the empty car is returned to the elevator platform P over the track F by the potential energy of the weights M M acting through the plate N, rod S, rope L, wheel G, rope H, bar J and jaws B. As the weights M M descend they are successively removed from the plate N by coming in contact with the supports provided for each weight.

Figs. 4 and 5 show one method of providing an elevator cage for a vertical elevator in which the platform P shall, upon reaching the proper level, automatically tilt itself so as to incline the platform P and start the car 0 toward the furnace. In this arrangement the platform P is pivoted at Y and supported from the main side members 5. The ends of the pivots Y attached to the platform P are provided with rectangular heads X, which heads move between two vertical guide posts 6 (see Fig. 6) attached to each side of the elevator. These guide posts 6 at or near the elevation of the bridge 0 depart from the vertical as indicated in Fig. 6. As a result the pivot head X and attached platform P are at the proper point tilted toward the furnace by the guiding action of the guides 6. Again, when the platform is lowered the guides 6 serve to restore the platform P to the horizontal. The stay rods W' permit this tilting motion as follows: The posts 5 are provided at or near their upper end with the disks Q pivoted thereto; this disk is provided on its circumference with a slot 4-. Pivoted to post 5 at U and extending through it is a bent lever T provided with a counterweight V and so located that when the cage is horizontal and below the level of the bridge 0, the lever T drops into the slot 4, and thus prevents the movement, in either direction, of the disk 0, and consequently theplatform P is held in a horizontal position. Just before the plat form P in process of hoisting reaches the level of the bridge (3 the upper end of the bent lever T strikes against a fixed surface, and as the platform is raised still further the bent lever T is lifted out of the slot 4 and the tilting of the platform P thus permitted. As the platform is lowered the counterweight V serves to return the bent lever T to the slot 4. The car 0 may be held after tilting the platform by means of the lever 1 pivoted to2 and provided with a counterweight 3; the end 7 of said lever being made to project above the rails on the platform in front of the wheels of the car 0. This car may be released by depressing the lever end 7 with the foot or a suitable mechanical device. The lever end 7 on the side toward the furnace is made with the tapered head indicated so that. as the empty car is returned to the platform P the wheels automatically depress the end 7 allowing the car to pass on to the platform after which the counterweight 3 serves to restore the end 7 to its original position, thus holding the car on platform.

Fig. 7 illustrates one method whereby the platform employed on an inclined plane elevator may be automatically tilted toward the furnace. The means employed to secure this end consist simply in depressing the rails under the forward set of wheels supporting the platform P. Any suitable device for holding the car 0 on the platform P may be employed.

'One method of automatically releasing the contents of the cars 0 and allowing them to fall into the hopper is indicated in Figs. 8 and 8 where 0 represents the car provided with a bottom 8 sloping down and away from the center on each side. The top of the car is composed of the rectangular framework 9 to which movable sides 10 are hinged at 11. The rods 13 are pivoted to the hinged sides 10 at one end, and to the double lever 14L pivoted at 15. The lower extremity of the double lever let is provided with a projection 16. The lever 17 is pivoted at 18 in such manner that the direction of its motion is at right angles to the direction in which the double lever 14: moves. The upper end of the lever 17 is provided with an end 19, which when the hinged sides 10 are closed, engages with 16 and locks the movement of the double lever 14. The lower end of lever 17 extends downward to nearly the level of the top of the rails. A block 20 is located (see Fig. 8) between the tracks at the desired point adjacent to the hopper of the furnace, and said block is of such height as to insure that the lever 17 will strike it as the carmoves forward. It is thus evident that when the loaded car reaches a position where the lever 17 strikes the block 20, the further movement of the car disengages the end 19 from contact with 16, and the double lever 14 is free to revolve on its pivot 15 which it does through the action of the weight of material resting against the movable sides 10; in this manner the material in the car is automatically discharged. After the car is unloaded the hinged sides 10 may be closed by a suitable arrangement of counterweights or by the movement of the car on its return to the elevator. Fig. 9 shows acar with the sloping bottom arranged at right angles to the sloping bottom of the car shown in Fig. 8. The same numbers are used in indicating similar parts of this car as in Fig. 8, and the operation is identical except in the manner of operating the lever 17. In this instance it is necessarythatthe movement of the lever 17 should be at right angles to the direction of the car movement. To provide such movement a bent bar 21 is attached to one of the rails (see Fig. 8'). This bar is so made and located that as the car moves forward the lever 17 coming in contact with it is moved inward toward the rail and the d011- ble lever 14 thus released and the car cleared of its contents.

The foregoing completes the description of the apparatus necessary to satisfy the first condition.

Second. One method of satisfying the second condition depends upon the employment of the two cars illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Ordinarily in filling the hopper D of a furnace A, a sufficiently uniform distribution of materials around the hopper is secured by dumping the materials atfour equidistant points; especially if the furnace be of small or moderate dimensions. I provide for such distribution as follows: The two cars 0 Figs. 8 and 9 are equipped with bottoms in the form of the upper lateral surfaces of triangular prisms whose lower surfaces are horizontal, but so built that the upper lateral edge 22 of the bottom in the car shown in Fig. 8 isnormal to the upper lateral edge 22 of the bottom of the car shown in Fig. 9. 'As a consequence one car (Fig. 8) discharges its contents at two points of the hopper diametrically opposite each other and situated approximately ninety degrees distant from the two diametrically opposite points at which the other car (Fig. 9) discharges its contents. Thus the second condition is satisfied.

Another method of satisfying the second condition, particularly in furnaces of large dimensions,-is secured by employing a second hopper placed above and concentric with D and so designed and located that materials delivered into this second hopper are discharged over the center or apex of the bell E and a fairly uniform distribution of materials around the hopper D thus attained; the car or cars for delivering the materials into the second hopper may be of any suitable'deslgn.

I do not limit the bottoms of the cars to the flat surfaces 8 shown in the drawings. These surfaces 8 may be curved.

of the counterweight system'herein set forth;

any suitable device may be employed for this purpose; I prefer however, to use a system whereby the effect of the counterweight gradually increases as the car approaches the furnace, attaining a maximum over the hopper and gradually decreases as the car in returning, approaches the hoist. It would be possible to secure this effect by the use of an air cylinder in which'the movement of the piston, as the car approached the furnace, would compress the air at one end of the cylinder, and thus furnishthe power necessary to return the car to the hoist.

I do not limit the application of the mechanisms herein set forth to a vertical elevator or hoist; the devices can be equally well applied to an inclined plane hoist.

I do not limit my invention to the design for elevator cage and inclined plane car shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7; any approved method of tilting the entire cage or the platform P may be employed, automatic or otherwise.

I do not limit my invention to an elevator cage or car in which the entire cage or the platform P is tilted or inclined toward the furnace; the cage or platform P may be fixed and the car 0 removed from the platform P by any suitable means.

I do not limit my invention to the design of apparatus for holdingthe car on the platform shown in Figs. 4: and 5; any serviceable mechanism may be used.

I do not limit my invention to the design of the apparatus for supporting and operating the bell E shown on the accompanying drawings, any suitable device may be employed.

Ido not limit my invention to the device for automatically releasing the hinged sides of the car and dumping the contents of the same into the hopper shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 8?; anysuitablc mechanism may be employed.

I do not limit my invention to the design of the carsO shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The materials contained in the cars may be distributed around the hopper by using cars of various design among which are the following:

First. The cars may be made with alconical bottom so as to discharge their contents over the center or apex of the bell.

Second. The car may be made with a bottom similar to the car 0, Figs. 8 and 9, but

with the car body designed so that it can be rotated about its center and the contents discharged at any point of its revolution.

Third. The car may be constructed with a bottom sloping from one side of the car to the other side of the oar, the body being pivoted and rotated as in the preceding case.

Fourth. The car may be constructed with the bottom in the form of the lateral surfaces of a pyramid or cone, the hinged sides being of such number and design as to permit of a fairly uniform distribution of the materials around the hopper.

Fifth. The cars may be constructed with hinged bottoms instead of hinged sides, or a combination of both; in this case the bottoms may be of the shape shown in Figs. 8 and 9, but instead of being fixed the surfaces 8 (Figs. 8 and 9) may be divided and hinged one part upon the other, or the surfaces 8 may be hinged upon the edges 22; or again the bottoms shown in Figs. 8 and 9 may be reversed (turned upside down), and the two surfaces composing the bottom divided and hinged one part upon the other or the two surfaces composing the bottom may be hinged upon the fixed sides of the car; or again the bottom of the car may be fiat and divided into two, three or four parts, in which cases the parts will be hinged upon respectively the fixed sides of the car, a central portion of the bottom or two parts of the bottom adjacent to and secured to the sides of the car. Or again, the car may have a bottom similar to those provided for in section t; the cars however with hinged bottoms instead of hinged sides or a combination of both.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to cover by Letters Patcut, is--- 1. In a blast furnace charging apparatus, the combination of an elevator, a blast furnace, an elevator car or cage, a car or cars for containing the materials to be charged into the furnace, inclined track or tracks leadin g from the elevator to and over the furnace, a counterweight or counterpower system brought into position for operation by the movement of a car and operating to return the car to the elevator after the con tents have been discharged.

2. In a blast furnace charging apparatus, the combination of an elevator, a blast furnace, an elevator car or cage capable of being tilted toward the furnace, a car or cars for containing the materials to. be charged into the furnace, a device for holding the car or cars on the elevator cage until released, an inclined track or tracks leading from the elevator to and over the furnace, a counterweight or counterpower system brought into position for operation by the movement of a car and operating to return the car to the elevator after its contents have been discharged, and a device for holding the car on the elevator cage after it has been returned thereto.

3. In a blast furnace charging apparatus,

the combination of an elevator, a blast furnace, an elevator car or cage capable of being automatically tilted or inclined toward the furnace, a car or cars for containing the ma terials to be charged into the furnace, a device for holding the car or cars on the elevator cage until released, inclined track or tracks leading from the elevator to and over the furnace, a counterweight or counterpower system brought into position for operation by the movement of a car and operating to return the car to the elevator after its contents have been discharged, and a device for holding the car on the elevator cage after it has been returned thereto.

4:. In a blast furnace charging apparatus, the combination of an elevator, a blast furnace, an elevator can or cage, a car or cars for containing the materials to be charged into the furnace and capable of automatically discharging its or their contents upon the action of a releasing device operated by the movement of the car, an inclined track or tracks leading from the elevator to and over the furnace, and a counterweight or counter power system brought into position for operation by the movement of the car, and operating to return the empty car to the elevator.

5. In a blast furnace charging apparatus, the combination of an elevator, a blast furnace, an elevator car or cage capable of being tilted or inclined toward the furnace, a car or cars for containing the materials to be charged into the furnace and capable of automatically discharging its or their contents upon the action of a releasing device operated by the movement of the car, an inclined track or tracks leading from the elevator to and over the furnace, a counterweight or counterpower system brought into position for operation by the movement of the car and operating to return the empty car to the elevator and adevice for holding the car on the elevator cage after it has been returned thereto.

6. In a blast furnace charging apparatus, the combination of an elevator, a blast furnace, an elevator car or cage capable of being automatically tilted or inclined toward the furnace, a car or cars for containing the materials to be charged into the furnace, and capable of automatically discharging its or their contents upon the action of a releasing device operated by the movement of the car, an inclined track or tracks leading from the elevator to and over the furnace, a counterweight or counterpower system brought into position for operation by the movement of ICC structed that, its contents are discharged into cally opposite points of the hopper at which the hopper at two diametrically opposite the contents of the second set or series of cars to v points of the hopper, and the cars of the first discharge their contents into the hopper.

set or series being so designed and construct ed that their contents are discharged into the hopper at two diametrically opposite points Witnesses: of the hopper situated approximately ninety A. H. MILLER, (90) degrees distant from the two diametri- GEO. S. WOODRUFF.

FRANK C. ROBERTS. 

